Lagos, Nigeria - The Nigerian Senate Thursday mandated its joint committee on Police Affairs, Security and Intelligence to conduct in-depth investigations into the circumstances surrounding the dumping of dead bodies on the Ezu River bothering South East Anambra and Enugu States. This followed the adoption of a motion, entitled: “strange dead bodies found in Ezu River of Anambra State,” sponsored by Senator Andy Uba, (Anambra South).
Senators expressed indignation over the incident and insisted that the identities of the victims must be established.
Uba in his lead debate noted that in the early hours of Saturday, 19 January, 2013, some villagers of the Amansea community in Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State witnessed one of the most horrifying sights in the history of the community when they found 30 dead bodies, mostly males, floating on the Ezu River.
He said that he was worried that between Wednesday, 23 January and Thursday, 24 January, four more dead bodies were discovered floating on the same Ezu River.
Uba noted that he is concerned that “even as we speak, no explanation has been proffered as to the possible origin of the dead bodies.”
The senator said that he is worried that the autopsy ordered by the government of Anambra and Enugu States has yielded no report.
He said that he is also worried that the Ezu River being the only source of water for domestic and other uses for the people of the five communities of Anambra State, namely- Amansea, Ebenebe, Ugbenu, Ugbene and Oba-Ofemili as well as other communities in Enugu State, including Ugwuoba, in the Oji River Local government area, has been polluted and has caused a lot of discomfort and hardship to the people.
Anambra state Gov. Peter Obi had offered a reward of 5 million naira (US$31,294) to anyone with information on the source of the corpses.
He announced the offer during a visit to Ezu River on 20 January, saying: “What happened here is unacceptable in any decent society. Human life and blood are sacred and all of us must respect the sanctity of human life.”
Pana 01/02/2013